The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-15
IN AID OF IRELAND'S CAUSE
Esmonde and 0'Connor Greeted at the
National Capital by Large Audience.
Effective Speeches by Senators ingalls,, Sher-
man and Hawley. and the Home-Rule Pol
icy Outlined by Sir Arthur 0'Conn0r.

WASHINGTON, Dec I4-Sir Thomas Henry
Grattan Esmonde and Sir Arthur O'Connor,
leaders of the Irish homerule cause in the En-
glish Parliament, arrived in this city this after
noon. escorted by committee of Washing
ton Irish societies, who had gone to Baltimore
to meet them. In the evening they were ten
dsred reception by the Irish societies, and
were conducted TO Masonic Temple in which
the reception was held. by escort headed by
the Third Artillery band, and consisting of the
Union Veteran Corps the Columbia Rifles, the
Emmett Guards. the Contnentals, the Knights
of ST. Columkill and the Catholic Knights of
America The hall of the temple was brilliantly
illuminated. and decorated with Ameri-
can and Irish flags, while such inserip-
tons as Scotland Wales and Ireland demand
home rule" American sympathy is with
Ireland" Coercion is outrage on the spirit
of human liberty" Columbia greets Gladstone
and Parnell," ornamented the stage and walls
Nearly every seat in the body of the hall
occupied. Il was nearly half-past eight when
the distinguished guests arrived and were
escorted to seats upon the platform, where
large mum er OF Senators and Representatives
were present to do them honor. Among them
were the following Senators Sherman. Palm
er and Hawley; Representatives Collins,
Bland. Herbert. Outhwaite. Foran. Lawler,
ONeill. Of Missouri. WOODBURY., PheIan, Grain,
Kennedy, Parker, Jutting. ]. D. Taylor and
Brown. of Ohio, and Fred Douglass. Mr.. Morris
Murphy. chairman of the committee arrange
ments, called the meeting to order and said that
owing to the unavoidable absence of Senator
ingalls,. who was to preside, the first business
was the election of permanent chairman. Rep
resentative O'Neill. of Missouri, proposed the
name of Senator Sherman. and he was elected
amid had
just begun speaking when Senator ingalls, ar
rived and was escorted to the platform. Senator
Sherman, acknowledging the compliment
conferred upon him, was greeted with loud ap-
plause and cheers. In appearing here tonight,
he said, he was bound to say that he was not
1rishmDn, but the trouble that his ancestors
had como to this country many years ago
that it was absolutely immaterial whether they
were Irish, English, Scotch or Welsh. He knew
one thing-he was an American lapplausel and
as American, feeling himself free to
speak not only OF matters concerning our ma
tional affairs. but also the affairs of friendly
nations, he took pleasure in saying that he be-
lieved be spoke the general voice of the people
OF the United States in every part of the Union,
when he said to the distiu guished guests that
the sympathy Of America went forth fully and
heartily in the strong desire that they might
have home rule in Ireland. to the full extent de-
manded by Parnell and Gladstone. Applause
Why should not Ireland have home rule9
Americans felt that they were born TO govern
themselves and they had home rule not only in
the Nation but in every part of their great or
ganization OF States. Our Nation armed with
limited powers, was but the creature of the poo
pls- Everywhere in our country there
was, ought to be, free and equal
rights and equal privileges among all
the citizens Of the United States. TAppiause.
he wanted to see ireland possess the same
rights as those enjoyed by the people of the
United States Iapplausel. and he believed that
an this sentiment the general voice of the people
went with him. It was not because they were
Irishmen. but because they were free men aud
deserved the privileges of free men, that they
Endorsed this sentiment No country could be
free unless it was governed by the people OF the
community; and home rule meant govern
-ment OF the people, by the people, and for the
people, Why should not Irsland have home
rulef Why was it that the British government
denied to tho gem of the British empire what
was conferred all the colonies of this great
empire2 Irishmen had led in the advance
ef all the great battles which England
had fought. for two centuries; Irish poets
had not only made the love songs for the
men and women of the world. but had written
the national anthems OF that great empire.
ireland had furnished the Demostheneses and
Ciceros of modern times Ireland had produced
great mon in every branch Of life. He did not
claim any right to govern the British empire,
or to advise any body in that great and powerful
empire how to govern it; all he could say was
that he hoped that the pleading voice of Glad
stone, the greatest statesman OF the age, would
Induce the British Parliament to grant home
rule. and that the manly courage aud brave per-
sisteuce of Mr.. Parnell might be sustained ID
his sickness by the growing hopes of home rule
for this people OF kindred was the
right to govern themselves not to
break down the British empire but to pass laws
affecting their local interests without the inter
ference of the British Parliament. In eonclus-
sion. Senator Sherman said: "All We want and
all We pray for is that Great Britain may yield
to our Irish brethren what they desire. and give
them home rule; and the British government
from that day forth will be stronger than ever
amid the powers'of the world. loud Applause
Now am going" he added. bowling to Senator
ingalls,, ito resign my Office to the gentleman
who has come to take my place"
Senator Ingalls,. after the applause with which
he Was greeted had subsidized said that illus
frious Irish members of the British Parliament
have crossed the ocean to tell the story of the
wrongs of Ireland. They are here for the pur-
pose, se he understood. of ascertaining the sent
ments of the American people upon this great
question which is now occupying the attention
OF men all over the civilized world; for the pur
pose of ascertaining by personal inspection and
examination whether not it is true, the
Tories of Great Britain have said, that the sent
ments of the great mass of the American people |
are not with Ireland in her struggle for home
rule and constitutional liberty, but that all
partisan demagogues and of obscure politicians
FOR the purpose of catching the Irish vote.
we have assembled this even
Of tn. national ' Capitol for n1 the D Da1ps~
the sentiments of the assemblage:
America [Great applause That in deeper |
end wider sense it is not only the cause of Ire
land, but of humanity itself We have assem- |
bled for the purpose of learning from these two |
illustrous representatives of Irish sentiment |
what has been the result of sevenEcenturies of |
oppression of the Irish people by the governing |
glasses of Great Britain. and, l still |
more obscure politician than am, should not |
hesitate to say that if we are called upon |
choose between expressing sympathies for |
Great Britain or for Ireland in this contest, |
American citizen will long hesitate to what |
his preference shall be-" He did |
understand, he said. that the Irish representa- I
giva1 ofh To into fa With tha
unity Of the British empire, but Great Britain |
Ihould not for get that there is rothIng dan |
,erous aud Improbable injustice; Great |
Britain should not forget that saven millions of |
people determined to be free can be
ylaved; Great Britain should not forget that |
shree millions of citizens in the original thirteen
colonies revolted aud achieved their independ- |
Hnce under far less provocation than the seven
Millions Of Irish peopla have endured for